Mother‐Infant Covariation of Positive and Negative Emotions Across the Day

Abstract

In a sample of 110 Mexican‐origin infants (M = 7.24 months; SD = 2.06; range, 3.78–13.04 months; 58% male) we examined the bidirectional covariation of mother and infant positive and negative emotions across the day. Further, we examined maternal emotion regulation as a potential moderator of the linkage between mother‐infant emotions. Using an Ecological Momentary Assessment design, mothers reported their positive and negative emotions three times a day, for 6 days. Analyses employed a multi‐level modelling approach to examine moment‐to‐moment covariation. Results indicated both mother and infant negative emotions, and mother and infant positive emotions significantly covary. Interestingly, maternal emotion regulation did not moderate either the covariation of negative or positive mother‐infant emotion. These analyses represent one of the first examinations of daily covariation in mother‐infant dyadic emotion.